Phlox plant named ‘Olympus’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Olympus’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; freely branching habit; thick green and light yellow variegated leaves that are tinged with red; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively large purple-colored flowers with white-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘OLYMPUS’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisementsrelating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred morethan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application.Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Olympus’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new uniform and freely flowering Phloxplants with unique and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Phlox plant originated from an open-pollination in 2012 inHillegom, The Netherlands, of Phlox paniculata ‘Pixie Miracle’, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown Phloxpaniculata seedling selection as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPhlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollinationin a controlled greenhouse environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands inJuly, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands sinceFebruary, 2015, has shown that the unique features of this new Phloxplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Olympus’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Olympus’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Thick green and light yellow variegated leaves that are        tinged with red.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Relatively large purple-colored flowers with white-colored        centers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Pixie Miracle’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are taller than plants of ‘Pixie        Miracle’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants        of ‘Pixie Miracle’.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Phlox are green and yellow        variegated and tinged with red in color whereas leaves of plants        of ‘Pixie Miracle’ are solid green in color.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox are purple in color with        white-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of ‘Pixie        Miracle’ are lavender in color with bright white-colored        centers.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of Phloxpaniculata ‘Nora Leigh’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Hillegom, The Netherlands, plants of the new Phlox and‘Nora Leigh’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are shorter than plants of ‘Nora        Leigh’.    -   2. Leaves of the new Phlox are thicker than leaves of plants of        ‘Nora Leigh’.    -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Phlox are green and yellow        variegated and tinged with red in color whereas leaves of plants        of ‘Nora Leigh’ are green and white variegated in color.    -   4. Flowers of the new Phlox are larger than flowers of plants of        ‘Nora Leigh’.    -   5. Flowers of plants of the new Phlox are purple in color with        white-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of ‘Nora Leigh’        are white in color with pinkish red-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Olympus’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Olympus’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in an outdoor nurseryin Hillegom, The Netherlands and under commercial practices typical ofcommercial Phlox production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 20° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 12° C. to 22° C. Plants were six months old when the photographsand description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Olympus’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Phlox paniculata ‘Pixie Miracle’,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary seedling            selection of Phlox paniculata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, moderately fibrous; typically, close            to 158B to 158C in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright plant habit; overall            plant shape, obovate inverted triangle; basally branching            habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth            rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 40.9            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 29.5            cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 21.9 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23.2 cm. Diameter: About            6 mm. Internode length: About 2.3 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            moderately glossy. Color, developing: Close to N77B tinged            with close to 145B. Color, developed: Close to between N77B            and N79D tinged with close to between 144C and 145A; at the            internodes, close to between 144C and 145A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement and quantity.—Opposite, simple; about 22 per            lateral branch.        -   Length.—About 13.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic; moderately carinate; thick.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Narrowly truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire; moderately undulate and moderately revolute.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            slightly leathery; slightly glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            slightly leathery; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between            77A and N77B; midvein and area surrounding midvein, close to            NN137A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N77B;            midvein, close to 146C; area surrounding midvein, close to            138A to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to            NN137A to NN137D; towards the margins, close to 8C, 10C and            11C; occasionally slightly to moderately tinged with close            to 185C to 185D; venation, close to 144A to 144B. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to between 147B and            191A; towards the margins, close to 9D and 10C; occasionally            slightly tinged with close to 185D; venation, close to 146C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm by            3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper            surface: Close to 144B slightly to strongly tinged with            close to N77A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate salverform            flowers arranged in panicles; flowers face upright and            outward; panicles roughly conical in shape; freely flowering            habit with about 500 flowers developing per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly to moderately fragrant; sweet and            pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; plants            flower continuously from mid to late summer in The            Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Oblanceolate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Sepals, close to N77B and proximally, close to            149D; petals, close to N88B.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 19.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 18.1 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; lower 55% to 60% of petals fused and forming a narrow            tube; somewhat imbricate. Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About            1.8 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire;            moderately undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety; slightly            glossy. Texture and luster, throat: Smooth, glabrous;            moderately velvety; matte. Texture and luster, tube:            Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: Developing petals, upper            surface: Close to N87C to N87D; towards the base, close to            157C. Developing petals, lower surface: Close to between            N88B and 90C; towards the base, close to 157C. Fully            developed petals, upper surface: Close to N81B to N81C;            towards the base, close to N155A; venation, similar to            lamina color; with development, color becoming closer to            N80B to N80C and towards the base, close to 76D. Fully            developed petals, lower surface: Close to 86D; towards the            base, close to 85C; venation, similar to lamina color; with            development, color becoming closer to N88C to N88D and            towards the base, close to 85B. Throat: Close to N80B;            venation, close to N80B. Tube: Close to N78A; venation,            close to N87A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, lower 20% fused and forming a campanulate calyx.            Calyx length: About 1 cm. Calyx diameter: About 4 mm.            Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.            Apex: Long and narrowly apiculate. Margin: Entire, not            undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, developing sepals, upper            surface: Close to 147C; margins, close to N77B. Color,            developing sepals, lower surface: Close to N77B. Color,            developed sepals, upper surface: Close to 147D; margins,            close to N77D; venation, close to 147A; color does not            change with development. Color, developed sepals, lower            surface: Close to N77B; towards the base, close to 145A to            145B; venation, similar to lamina colors; color does not            change with development.        -   Peduncles.—Length, primary peduncles: About 15.8 cm.            Diameter, primary peduncles: About 3 mm. Aspect, primary            peduncles: Erect; secondary peduncles, about 40° from            primary peduncle axis. Aspect, secondary peduncles: About            45° from vertical. Strength, primary and secondary            peduncles: Strong. Texture and luster, primary and secondary            peduncles: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Color,            primary and secondary peduncles: Close to 148A blotched with            close to 146C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            About 20° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.            Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to            NN78D. Anther size: About 2.5 mm by 0.75 mm. Anther shape:            Oblong. Anther color: Close to 2D. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to 8D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1.9 cm. Stigma diameter: About            1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color: Close            to between 145C and 149D. Style length: About 1.75 cm. Style            color: Close to N77A; towards the base, close to 145C. Ovary            color: Close to 144C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Phlox.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the Phlox have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind, high    temperatures about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness    Zones 6 through 10.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Olympus’ asillustrated and described.